Abdominal support



Patented Dec. 13, 192'1.

JENNIE M. BODENSIEK, 0F NEW YORK, N. vY.

A BDOMINAL SUPPORT.

Application led August 11, 1922. Serial No. 581,041.

The present invention is directed to the provision of an improved for-m of abdominal or visceral support and has for its object to provide a device which. has the required degree ofstilness and rigidity to support the various human organs in the desired positions and yet be so yieldable and flexible as not to interfere with or materially impede the bending or lexin of the body as in stooping, sitting or wa king.

A further obj-ect resides in the provision of a. device of this character which may be Worn with the minimum discomfort and inconvenience.

Another object is to provide a device of the above class` which completely encircles the body of the user and is provided with a substantially lcontinuous front portion yet fastens at the front.

Other objects o f the present invention willl be hereinafter pointed out in the accompanyy ing specification and shown in the drawings which show one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of the device with certain portions broken away to show the interior construct-ion.

Fig. 2 is a perspective rear View of the device.

. part of the main supporting member.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the main supporting member.

' Fig. 4 shows an edge view of the lower This ligure shows a slightly thickened section of the spat-ulate jacent the minor axis of the elliptical end portion. thereof.

In more detail, the support comprises a main body portion 10 which is in the form of a long band or strip of suitable flexible cloth or like material slightly broadened at the front at 11 andslotted at 12 to permit the passing of one end of the strip through the other end. Attached to the ends of the strips are the tapes 13 one of which carries a suitable buckle or other fastening device to permit the tapes to be drawn together and the band tightened. The construction of the band and the arrangement of the tapes and buckle obviate any metallic fastenings at the back of the user and also allow the band to be readily adjustable to any desired girth.

To provide the required reinforcement over the abdomen I provide a novel :supporting member which is shown in Fig. 3. This support is comprised of two joined parts one shaped member at a point ad` (17) shaped in the form of a spatula having a substantially elliptical end portion 14 and an `upwardly extending integral strip 15. Attached to spat-ula part is a second strip 16 preferably of vsubstantially rectangular shape. The strip 16' is secured to the spatula by rivets which are disposed substantially as shown leaving the ends free to flex back and forth. Preferably the spatula part is thickened very slightly adjacent the minor axis of the elliptical end to provide additional stiness as shown at 20 inl Fig. 4. The lower end or tip of the elliptical portion is made as thin as possible to secure the maximum of flexibility.

Preferably the support parts are made ofsteel or like flexible material which may be rubberized or otherwisev protected against rust, the spatulate member providing sup-` port transversely and the strip member providing support longitudinally.

After assembly the support is sewnin place in In placing the support in position the strip 16 is disposed away from the body of the user.

Suitable auxiliary stay strips 19 arealso provided which are secured in the usual cloth pockets upon the interior of the band.

a cloth pocket 18' upon the band.4

The stays preferably extend in converging direction from the main supporting member and terminate slightly short thereof to permit free flexibility between the main and auxiliary supports.

After the staysand supports are placed in position the usual padding 20 may be provided at desired points.

The main stay or support 17 Y is particularly adapted to properly support the internal organs in an eltective manner. and at the same time its'construction is such as to permit a free flexing or bending thereof so as to readily conform to the contour of the wearer. The supplementing strip 16. provides additional vertical stiffness to the spatula member but on account of its being free therefrom at the ends it does not impede the free bending of the ends of the main stay member.

The main stay 17 is of such shape that the lower end or tip thereof tapers in itsl lateral width to its lowermost point. The point, however, is not sharp but is slightly curved and rounded to avoid sharp edges. This arrangement and shape of the stay 17 4permits position of thebody ofthe wearer. The contion of the stay to extend to and be supported upon the pelvic bone of the wearer. This vconstruction further provides a stay membe of such shape that it will not ride up upon t e/wearer assuming a bending or sitting posture.l On the other hand, the stay member unlike previous stay members of different configuration remains and maintains its lowermost position with the tip resting upon the pelvic bone irrespective of the provision of a stay assembly which is comparatively freely flexible upon horizontal axes. At the same time the desirable supporting properties are secured by so constructing the stay that it is flexible to a less degree if at all about vertical axes. The construction ,of the stay with a thick section at the minor axis of the ellipse and with a relatively thin lower end contributes to this ac- Ias ` limited to such forms.

tion of the stay when in use. It will be :further understood that the supplementary stay member 16 is disposed upon the outside of the main stay member and away from the body of the person wearing the corset or support. Thus the inner surface of the spatfulate shaped member 17 affords a shield having a `smooth inner surface without cooperatinglnner parts such as 16 which, if

`next to the body of the user, would cause abrasion and inching. The present stay is therefore com ortable to the user and at the same time adapted to render the desired support.

While I have shown my invent-ion associated with a band type of abdominal support it will be understood that its use is not The invention may readily be applied to corsets and the like.

The tapes 13 are so located with respect to f the band as to extend across the point of greatthe band at each si e est girth.v This feature in connection with the slotted part 12'aiords freedom of movement to the wearer and-prevents vertical displacement of the tapes and band when in use. The band at the to extends substantially straight across,- and t e lower part 11 is extended downward] and the lower edges of are curved upwardly to ve the maximum freedom of movement to t e limbs of the wearer.

What I claim is: A l 1. An abdominal su port comprising in combination, with a fabri body portion to encircle the trunk, of a stay lor supporting. member carried thereby for supporting the abdomen said member com rising an element of spatulate shape wit Va shank portion and an integral elliptical lower end and a ysupplementary element. attached to the aforesaid-element at a lace near the end of said elliptical lower en and having it ends freely displaceable with respect theret and in cooperation with and protected from contact with the' body of the user by the shank portion and lower elliptical end portion of the stay member.

2. An abdominal support comprising in combination with a fabric body portion, of a one piece spatulate shaped element carried in a pocket therein to support the visceral organs, said element having an integral shank and end portion, said end portion having an elliptical configuration provided with a thin gradually tapering laterally narrow lower extension of orange spoon. configuration to extend to and rest upon the pelvic bone of the user, and supplementary stay members carried by the said body portion and disposed in converging relation to the lower end of the s atulate shaped elenientv and spaced there rom to permit ilexnrc.

3. A stay for supporting the organs of the labdomen comprising a 011e piece spatulate shaped element having a shank portion and also a substantially elliptical lower end portion serving as a transverse support member, and a supplemental longitudinal support element attached thereto remote from the ends of said supplemental element and extending longitudinally therewith with free ends sliding respectively upon the surface of said shank and upon the elliptical lower end portions to provide flexure, said spatulate ico shaped element having a length greater than the length of said supplemental element whereby the spatulate acts as a shield to protect the wearei` from the ends of theasupplemental member and afiords a sliding surface for the supplementary stay member.

zl. A stay member for supporting the organs of the abdomen comprising an. inwardly smooth spatulate shaped element having apshank portion and an integral lower ellipa thin gradually tapering laterally narrow lowermost end of orange spoon configuration adapted to rest upon the pelvic bone of the wearer whereby thestay member retains its proper vertical position upon the user bending or assuming a sitting posture.

5. A staymember for supporting the or-A gans of the abdomen comprisinga spatulate shaped element havinfr a shank portion and an elhptical lower end portion, said elli tical lower end portion being thickened a jacent its minor axis and having the lower end at the end of the major axis of the elliptilll)` tical end portion, said end portion having cal portion relatively thin to provide relative rigidityl against bending aboutthe vertical axis and to permit flexibility and relatively free bending movements about horizontal axes. n

6. The invention set orth in claim 5 in which the spatulate shaped elementcomprises an integral shank and an elliptical lower end portion, said elliptical lower end portion having a laterally narrow tapering extension integral therewith and adapted to extend downwardly from the main body of the. end portion and to be supl ported upon the pelvic bone of the user, said end portion having free flexibility on horizontal axes whereby by said free 4horizontal flexibilityl and tapering configuration said stay member retains its position upon the pelvic bone and does not ride up upon the user assuming asittng 'or bending posture.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

JENNIE M. BODENSIEK. 

